An average of 14,897 people go to watch first division matches in Brazil. That puts Brazil in 13th place on the world table, behind countries like the United States, Japan and China.

Germany is first, with an average attendance of 45,083; England is second with 34,604 and Spain is third with 28,400. More people went to see games in the English and German second divisions than the Brasileirao.

The reasons are varied and have to do with the high ticket prices charged in Brazil, run-down facilities and insecurity in and around stadiums, and the large number of games shown on television.

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The attendance numbers in Brasil don’t relate to the passion for the sport itself. People are tired of the scandals envolving CBF and major teams, real soccer is played in fields around the country, and has nothing in comon with what you see in TV.

However, the numbers are still a bit shocking. More people go to see games in the US and China than Brazil. There are less than 5 million people in Scotland and the average attendance there is almost the same as Brazil. That means a Scottish person is 40 times more likely to go to a game than a Brazilian.

Brazilians like to say this is the ‘pais de futebol.’ This study shows that’s not really the case.

Can you read portuguese? The link below tells how CBF is punishing a club because the fans protested referer’s errors. That’s why Premier League soccer here in Brasil is almost another sport rather than the real one: